FCC: China Mobile Not Cooperating With Probe

UPDATE The FCC says China Mobile International (USA) Inc. is not cooperating with the agency’s investigation of the telecom’s activities in the U.S. In a Citation and Order, the Enforcement Bureau has directed China Mobile “to take immediate steps to respond fully” to its Supplemental Letter of Inquiry issued by the Enforcement Bureau on February 26.

If China Mobile fails to comply with this Commission order, it may be liable for “significant fines,” including penalties of up to the statutory maximum, or $25,132 for each violation or for each day of a continuing violation. The FCC says the telecom must respond within 30 days. 

In 2011, China Mobile applied for an international section 214 authorization requesting permission to provide international facilities-based and resale telecommunications services. In 2019, the Commission denied the company’s application because it raised serious national security and law enforcement risks, Inside Towers reported. The Commission found that China Mobile would be subject to the influence and control of the Chinese government.

The FCC continued to investigate China Mobile’s ongoing operations in the United States. Despite the Commission’s denial of China Mobile’s application for international 214 authorizations and despite the Commission’s placement of China Mobile’s international telecommunications services on the Covered List, China Mobile may still be operating here. The company claims that its status on the Covered List does not prohibit certain types of operations.

This February, the FCC sent a Letter of Inquiry to the telecom, and then a Demand Letter in April, identifying deficiencies in the company’s response. The FCC also says China Mobile failed to provide complete responses and provide certain documents. On May 5, the company did respond, but didn’t provide the specific information the FCC seeks and said it objected to the inquiries. 

By Leslie Stimson, Inside Towers Washington Bureau Chief